Audi's development chief Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg presented the Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Concept at the Detroit Auto Show this afternoon as a "combination of the core values of TT, quattro, and allroad" as well as the basis for the next TT appearing later this year. Told you so.

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Though I don't expect the stock TT to be a crossover, an electric car, or a shooting brake, there's no denying that bulbous rear looks like a Volvo C30 with the Audi corporate grille and a TT gas cap: great proportions, clean lines, and a very smooth ergonomic flow to the interior.

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I would expect pretty much the whole front half (albeit a bit lower to the ground), the taillights, and almost all of the interior including the trick dynamic gauge cluster Audi to see duty in the 2015 TT. Based on how presenters were describing the car, it sounded like we were practically looking at the TT already.

I was impressed with how many gadgets Audi was able to pack into such a clean dashboard. I also can't deny I'm still love a good D-shaped helm.

Hackenberg touted the car's ability to "relieve drivers of distraction," but when I went to inspect the car's interior it was posting tweets between the speedometer and tach. Maybe that function's disabled when the car's in motion.

In person the car looked a hair smaller than first A3s that came to the US, but backseats looked reasonably usable for slim adults.

Audi's representatives were adamant that the Shooting Brake was a "concept study" only but they did confirm that the hybrid drivetrain, which makes 402 HP and 480 Lb/Ft of torque with front and rear electric motors, was ready for production. They reserved the right to withhold when that may be, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it in the new TT.

The setup can vector power between the front and rear based on traction needs as detected by the car and is capable of going over 62 miles on half a gallon of gasoline.

When asked if customers had been asking for an "off-road sports vehicle," Audi reps just repeated that the concept was an embodiment of their overall design direction, particularly or the TT. So if you were holding out for a Rally Fighter with four rings on the grille... maybe next year.

Connection to the Q1 was denied, but a three-door boosted two-liter quattro S1 was confirmed for later this year though lips were tight on details.

The Audi executives each reiterated the vision for the company is heavy on connectivity and "alternative" forms of propulsion— Hackenberg even used the term "frankenhybrids" to describe future offerings, which sounded somewhat ominous in his heavy German accent.

As a whole package the Shooting Brake seemed highly polished, and looked near ready to roll into dealerships. The Germans said they'll be paying close attention to public reception as they decide whether or not to build vehicles like the Shooting Brake, so comment with care.